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Andrew Romanoff
|birth_place = Washington, D.C. |party = Democratic |alma_mater = University of Denver (J.D.) Harvard University (M.P.P.) Yale University (B.A.) | profession=Politician, Professor | religion= Jewish | |}} Harlan Andrew Romanoff (born August 24, 1966) is an American politician. A Democrat, he was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008, serving as Speaker from 2005 to 2008. He was a candidate for the United States Senate in the 2010 election, when he was defeated by incumbent Democrat Michael Bennet in the party's primary. Early life, education and career Romanoff was raised in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Columbus Academy. He has a Democratic mother and a Republican father, a twin sister, and a border collie named Zorro. Romanoff's full name is Harlan Andrew Romanoff but he prefers to be known by his middle name. His mother "Cap" (née Gayle) was a social worker and his father Marvin was a judge. Andrew’s grandparents worked for Project Hope, bringing medical supplies and treatment to Africa and Latin America. Romanoff took an early interest in civil rights. As a student, he learned about the Southern Poverty Law Center’s efforts to combat Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi groups. The Center’s Klanwatch Project and a state civil rights agency became two of his first employers. After earning a bachelor’s degree at Yale University, Romanoff taught English in rural high schools in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. After coming home, he earned a Master's degree in public policy from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a law degree at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Romanoff worked in the private sector, as a senior associate at the Colorado consulting firm of Greenberg Baron Simon & Miller, before accepting a job with Gov. Roy Romer. He worked in the Office of Policy and Initiatives, analyzing state and national proposals for education reform. Romanoff has taught at the University of Colorado, the Community College of Aurora, Metropolitan State College of Denver, and Red Rocks Community College. He has served on the boards of the Center for Women’s Employment and Education, the Colorado Children’s Campaign, Colorado Common Cause, and the Colorado Health Foundation; headed two neighborhood groups; and mentored at-risk students through Denver Kids. Colorado House of Representatives Romanoff was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008 and was re-elected three times. He was the first Democrat to hold the Speaker's post since 1975. He was the second youngest speaker of the House in Colorado history. Before becoming Speaker he was the House Minority Leader. He represented House District 6. He teaches at the Community College of Aurora. Romanoff was considered by many to be a possible Democratic candidate for Governor of Colorado in 2006, but announced in late 2005 that he would not seek the Democratic nomination for governor. Romanoff left the Colorado House after 2008 because of term limits. He is widely credited as the author of Referendum C, a major fiscal initiative approved by Colorado voters in 2005. 2010 U.S. Senate election In early 2009, Senator Ken Salazar was nominated and confirmed for U.S. Secretary of Interior. Andrew Romanoff was on a short list of possible candidates for appointment to Salazar's seat. To fill that seat, Governor Bill Ritter chose Denver schools' superintendent Michael Bennet. The Colorado Independent reported on August 29, 2009 that Romanoff will challenge Bennet in a 2010 Primary for the Senate seat. Romanoff has made campaign finance and ethics a key issue of his campaign, declining to take Political Action Committee money. A preference poll taken March 16 at precinct caucuses showed Romanoff with 51 percent support, Bennet with 42 percent, and the remaining uncommitted. Delegates at each stage of the Democratic caucus-assembly process aren’t pledged to a candidate but are selected based on candidate preference. Romanoff won the Democratic State Assembly against Michael Bennet, with 60.4% of the vote to Bennet's 39.6%. The State Assembly determines ballot placement for the August Primary. As Romanoff had a higher percentage of votes, his name appeared first on the Democratic ballot. On September 16, 2009, Romanoff officially announced his campaign to challenge Bennet for the Democratic Senate nomination of 2010. He was endorsed by Bill Clinton on June 29, 2010. President Barack Obama endorsed Bennet shortly after Romanoff announced his candidacy to unseat Bennet. On August 10, 2010, Romanoff was defeated by Bennet in the Colorado Democratic Primary. Policy positions Government ethics and reform Romanoff has made government ethics and reform a central part of his Senatorial campaign. Romanoff does not take Political Action Committee (PAC) money, instead relying on individual campaign contributions. Romanoff has said in numerous speeches that he believes there is an inherent conflict in elected officials taking contributions from industries they are supposed to regulate. Although several elected officials such as Russ Feingold have limited their contributions in various ways, the only other federal candidates of note to eschew all PAC contributions are President Barack Obama (who has since changed his position), former Louisiana Governor (1988–92) Buddy Roemer, and former New Mexico Governor (1995–2003) Gary Johnson. Economy Romanoff is credited as a main author and advocate for Referendum C, a major financial overhaul to the state of Colorado. It partially reversed the budget shortfalls caused by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights which nearly bankrupted the state after an economic downturn. Education Romanoff sponsored the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) Act, working in conjunction with State Treasurer Cary Kennedy. BEST was the largest investment in school construction in Colorado history, with an emphasis on rural school repair. Energy and the environment In 2004 Romanoff supported an initiative to have at least 10% of energy consumed in Colorado come from renewable sources. Romanoff supports the creation of more green collar jobs in an effort to stimulate job growth while reducing fossil fuel usage. Romanoff has also supported efforts for tax breaks for those who weatherize their homes or otherwise reduce their energy usage. Job offer from the Obama Administration On September 27, 2009, Michael Riley of the Denver Post reported that Romanoff was offered a position in the Obama Administration in exchange for not running for U.S. Senate against Michael Bennet.Riley, Michael. D.C. job alleged as attempt to deter Romanoff, Denver Post, September 27, 2009. According to Riley, Jim Messina, deputy Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama, made a phone call to Romanoff offering him various positions in the Obama Administration, which included a position at the USAID. Romanoff turned down the offer.Littwin, Mike. Littwin: Romanoff won't answer why he won't answer, Denver Post, May 30, 2010. Romanoff issued a statement on June 2, 2010, in which he confirmed that he was contacted by Messina on September 11, 2009 and was told that President Obama was going to support Bennet in the Democratic Party primary. Romanoff told Messina that he would be running anyway and Romanoff states, as reported by the Washington Post that Messina "suggested three positions that might be available to me were I not pursuing the Senate race. He added that he could not guarantee my appointment to any of these positions." White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton told the Post that "Mr. Romanoff was recommended to the White House from Democrats in Colorado for a position in the administration. There were some initial conversations with him, but no job was ever offered." Messina sent Romanoff job descriptions for three positions: an administrator for the Latin America and Caribbean Bureau within USAID, the chief of the Office of Democracy and Governance within USAID, and the director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.Elliott, Philip. Senate candidate says White House discussed 3 jobs, Washington Post, June 3, 2010. After repeated questions, Michael Bennet admitted to interacting with the White House regarding offering Romanoff a job to get him out of the race.Colorado Senator Bennet confirms knowledge of White House contact with Romanoff, Eli Stokols, KWGN, June 11, 2010. International development work After losing the 2010 Colorado Democratic Party primary election for a U.S. Senate Seat, Romanoff accepted a position in September, 2010 as a Senior Advisor with International Development Enterprises (IDE). IDE is a Colorado-based non-profit organization that works in developing countries to create income opportunities and provide low cost water access for rural households.Michael Booth, Romanoff to fight world poverty as senior adviser to Lakewood nonprofit, October 6, 2010, The Denver PostTeam listing, IDE website, retrieved November 30, 2009 See also *Colorado House of Representatives *Colorado General Assembly References External links *Andrew Romanoff for Congress official campaign website * *Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org *Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Colorado gubernatorial election, 2006 Category:Speakers of state lower houses in the United States Category:Members of the Colorado House of Representatives Category:Colorado Democrats Category:Jewish American politicians Category:Yale University alumni Category:John F. Kennedy School of Government alumni Category:Sturm College of Law alumni Category:People from Columbus, Ohio Category:Politicians from Denver, Colorado